title: Serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms in Southwestern Iranian patients with irritable bowel syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Irritable bowel syndrome is a common chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder of unknown etiology. Serotonin is an important factor in sensory signaling in the brain-gut axis, which plays a key role in intestinal motility and secretion. Serotonin clearance is mediated by a specific protein called the serotonin reuptake transporter. Transcription activity of the serotonin transporter gene is affected by some polymorphisms in this gene. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serotonin transporter gene polymorphisms and irritable bowel syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 5-HTTLPR, rs25531 and STin2VNTR polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene were analyzed by PCR-based methods in 50 patients with irritable bowel syndrome and 100 healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serotonin transporter polymorphisms were similar in patients and healthy controls. There were no significant differences in allele or genotype frequencies between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that polymorphisms in the gene encoding for the serotonin transporter are not associated with irritable bowel syndrome. Interactions between environmental factors and predisposing genetic factors are important in the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome, and further genetic and epigenetic research may provide novel insights into the mechanisms contributing to this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran arjadsh@sums.ac.ir
authors.forename: Shirin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farjadian
authors.forename: Bahareh
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fakhraei
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moeini
authors.forename: Mahboubeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasiri
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fattahi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins